The evolution of safety footwear [Interview with ROYER]

The environment and work conditions of an employee must be assessed to select the appropriate safety footwear. Does the employee work standing, seated, on uneven, slippery or wet surfaces? Is he at risk of objects falling on his feet, receive an electric shock, or being stuck? All these situations require needs analysis to find the safety footwear that will properly protect the worker’s feet and prevent possible injuries.

Need assessment

“We have developed the Industry Protection Analysis Program for safety footwear,” explains Jerry Hould, Business Development Director for ROYER. “This free program will assess the footwear protection needs on the work site by analyzing the environment and conditions to which the worker will be exposed. Afterward, a report containing our recommendations will be submitted to the employer.”

This type of practice not only protects the worker, but also the company for which he works, as Section 51 of the Act Respecting Occupational Health and Safety states that the employer must take all necessary measures to protect the health and ensure the safety and physical well-being of his workers. Do not hesitate to contact us and ask our experts to evaluate your needs.

Step by step: the evolution of safety footwear

After working for more than 30 years in the field of footwear protection for workers, Mr. Hould was able to track the evolution of these products. “Early in my career, footwear provided little protection and a basic model was used in almost every environment as the selection was quite limited.”

Now, materials have evolved and we find safety footwear made of composite. Each new evolution allowed the creation of more lightweight, flexible, comfortable and waterproof products. Also, there are more options for women, with footwear designed according to women’s morphology, while offering the same protection as men. In this period of transformation, a few standards were created and certification became mandatory for certain protection options that were not regulated 25 years ago.

Protective footwear and CSA standards

Certain companies now have their own certification laboratory. This allows the manufacturer to develop new products and get them on the market much more quickly. This is the case with ROYER, explains Mr. Hould. “With our certification laboratory, we avoid marketing delays of up to 9 months. The same rigour applies to ensure our products are compliant with CSA safety standards, and random audits are carried out 4 to 6 times a year in our laboratory.”

CSA safety standards are mandatory in Canada. Their site has a table summarizing the recommended use, according to required features and criteria.